William Brace (1865 - 1947)

Born 23 Sep 1865 in Risca, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Husband of Nellie (Humphreys) Brace — married 1891 in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Died 12 Oct 1947 at age 82 in Newport, Wales, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mark Fretwell [send private message]

Biography

William was born in 1865. He passed away in 1947.

Born in Risca, in the coal-mining district of Monmouthshire, he was one of six children of Thomas and Anne Brace. Brace briefly attended school before starting work at the local colliery, aged 12. He later worked at Celynnen and Abercarn collieries He soon involved himself in trade union activities and politics and in 1890 was elected the local agent for the Monmouthshire Miners' Association. He was also elected to Monmouthshire County Council.

At the 1906 general election he was elected as a Liberal-Labour member of parliament for South Glamorganshire, holding the seat at the next two general elections. He continued taking the Liberal whip for some years, despite the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, which sponsored him, having affiliated to the Labour Party in 1909. During the First World War he held the post of Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in Lloyd George Coalition Government. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1916. When the South Glamorganshire seat was abolished at the 1918 general election, he was elected unopposed to represent the new Abertillery seat, this time as Labour Party MP. He resigned his seat in 1920.

Sources

Primary

• https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-william-brace/index.html

Secondary

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brace
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201089863/william-brace